Gonzalez ends skid, A’s beat Blue Jays

OAKLAND, Calif.
— Gio Gonzalez pitched eight stellar innings for his first win in more than a month, and the Oakland Athletics held on to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 on Saturday night.

Brandon Allen had two hits and scored the go-ahead run on a double play in the fourth inning while Josh Willingham homered as part of a three-run eighth for Oakland, which has won four of five at home after getting swept in a four-game series by Texas.

Eric Thames had two hits and scored the only run for Toronto, which played without slugger Jose Bautista. Bautista, who leads the majors with 35 home runs, was a late scratch with tightness in his neck.

One day after Rich Harden and Andrew Bailey combined on a three-hitter, Gonzalez (10-11) and Bailey nearly duplicated it. The duo allowed only four hits and teamed up to retire 25 of the final 27 Toronto batters.

Gonzalez, in particular, was very sharp and ended his personal five-game losing streak after getting off to a rough start.

Oakland’s All-Star left-hander allowed a one-out single to Thames in the first and hit designated hitter Adam Lind two batters later. Edwin Encarnacion then lined a single to right to drive in Thames, who beat the throw home from David De Jesus.

Colby Rasmus followed with a walk to load the bases but Gonzalez retired Brett Lawrie on a foul pop-up to first to work out of it.

Toronto, held to three hits a night earlier, didn’t get much else after that. Gonzalez gave up a leadoff single to Thames in the third then retired the next 15 straight until John McDonald’s leadoff single in the eighth.

McDonald was sacrificed to second but Gonzalez — who hadn’t won since July 17 — fanned Thames and Yunel Escobar to end the inning. Gonzalez finished with one walk and nine strikeouts.

He allowed three consecutive hits in the bottom of the first, including Hideki Matsui’s tying RBI single, then retired eight of the next nine until the A’s scored an unearned run in the fourth.

Allen singled and took third after Toronto second baseman McDonald committed an error on Ryan Sweeney’s grounder. Allen then scored the go-ahead run when David De Jesus hit into a 4-6-3 double play.

Alvarez, who made his major league debut against Oakland on Aug. 10, kept it close and got some help from Toronto’s defense.

In addition to making the relay to first on the double play, Escobar saved a run in the sixth when he stopped Landon’s Powell’s sharp grounder up the middle and made a backhand throw to McDonald, who barely beat De Jesus to the bag at second.

Alvarez left after allowing seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk over six innings.

Oakland scored three times in the eighth to break open the close game. Willingham capped the outburst with a two-run pinch-hit home run, his 22nd homer of the season.

It was a painful night all around for the Blue Jays.

Bautista took batting practice and was in the lineup batting third before he was removed. The announcement was made less than 10 minutes before the first pitch.

Mike McCoy replaced Bautista in right field and hit in the leadoff spot.

Toronto later lost Lind, who was hit just above his right wrist by a pitch from Gonzalez. No word was given on his condition.

Notes: Less than a week after tearing his left hamstring, injured Blue Jays OF Rajai Davis has started running in Florida. Manager John Farrell continues to be hopeful that Davis can rejoin the team this season, though he acknowledged that the tear was “significant.” … SS Adeiny Hechavarria, one of Toronto’s top minor league prospects, hit safely in his first eight games with Triple-A Las Vegas and went into Saturday batting .529 with one home run and five RBIs. … RHP Guillermo Moscoso (6-6) pitches for Oakland on Sunday and will try to extend his personal winning streak to a career-best three games. His only win against Toronto came in relief on Aug. 11. … LHP Luis Perez (2-2) makes his first career start for the Blue Jays, five days after throwing 61 pitches over four innings of relief and getting the win against Seattle.